A tragic incident occurred in Agra's Gopalpura village on Thursday evening when a four-year-old girl, identified as Bittu, fell into a 70-foot-deep dry well while playing and later died. The incident sparked protests from villagers who alleged delays in the rescue operation.
Details of the Incident
Bittu had arrived at her maternal grandparents' house along with her parents, Saurabh Tiwari and Hema, from Firozabad to attend a religious function. Around 6 pm, she was playing with her twin sister outside the house when the accident took place. According to police, an old well was located just a few feet from the house. The well had been covered with plywood after boring work for a submersible pump was carried out. However, the plywood suddenly caved in, causing Bittu to fall into the deep well. Her twin sister narrowly escaped the fall.
Rescue Operation and Aftermath
A rescue operation involving local police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and fire department personnel continued for nearly four hours. The child was eventually pulled out and taken to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Bah, where doctors declared her dead on arrival.
Protests by Family and Villagers
Following the incident, family members and villagers staged a protest, alleging negligence on the part of the administration. They claimed that the rescue was delayed due to toxic fumes inside the well and the late arrival of oxygen cylinders required for rescue personnel to descend into it. Saurabh, the girl's father, also alleged that the body was taken for postmortem without informing the family.
Official Response
Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Abhishek Agarwal assured the family that appropriate action would be taken based on their complaint, following which the situation was brought under control. He stated, 'Fire department personnel rescued her, but she had already died. People were pacified after discussions.'
The incident has raised concerns about safety measures around abandoned wells in the area. Authorities have promised a thorough investigation into the matter.
